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Armed traffic agents: the CCJ approved a project that could transform inspection in Brazil. With the carrying of weapons on and off duty, the measure raises debates about safety and responsible use. Will the initiative bring more protection or new challenges?
O brazilian traffic may undergo an unprecedented transformation.
While drivers worry about fines and traffic jams, a controversial change promises to raise tension levels on public roads.
The proposal to allow traffic agents to carry firearms has already been approved by the Constitution, Justice and Citizenship Committee (CCJ) of the Chamber of Deputies and is now moving on to the Senate.
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The news raises intense debates and raises an important question: how far does the responsibility of these professionals in public safety go?
This decision, which could redefine the role of agents, has already sparked mixed reactions among experts, legislators and society.
Carrying weapons and new regulations for traffic agents
The approved project amends the Disarmament Statute to grant the right to carry weapons to traffic agents, both while on duty and outside of it.
This authorization, however, is accompanied by strict requirements, including specialized training and control, in accordance with current legislation.
Furthermore, the text goes further by recognizing the activity of traffic agents as being of a police nature.
This detail, based on the Federal Constitution, reinforces the idea that these professionals play a central role in promoting road safety.
The regulation also establishes stricter criteria for entry into the career, such as the requirement of a higher education diploma, Brazilian nationality and approval in a public examination.
The agents will continue to perform functions such as inspection, promoting traffic education and actions to ensure road safety.
However, with the right to carry weapons, the scope and responsibilities of these officers can expand significantly.
According to the project's rapporteur, Deputy Delegado Paulo Bilynskyj (PL-SP), the proposal regulates the Constitutional Amendment 82/14, which already assigned responsibility for road safety to the States, the Federal District and municipalities.
The deputy highlighted that the adjustments made to the text seek to respect regional autonomy, allowing each federative entity to legislate on the topic in a specific way.
Path to the Senate
With approval by the CCJ, the bill will be sent to the Senate for analysis. If there is no appeal for a vote in the plenary of the Chamber, the process will be direct.
If approved, the measure will mark a new stage in the work of traffic agents in Brazil.
According to the current text, agents will be able to carry weapons as long as they undergo rigorous training and demonstrate the ability to handle the equipment safely.
This requirement seeks to prevent stressful situations in traffic from escalating into episodes of armed violence.
Paulo Bilynskyj highlighted that road safety needs to be treated as an extension of public safety.
“These professionals face risky situations on a daily basis. It is essential to ensure that they have the necessary tools so that they can perform their duties safely and effectively,” he said.
Impact of the proposal
The bill divides opinions.
On the one hand, public safety experts see the measure as a necessary step forward, arguing that carrying weapons will increase the protection of agents and strengthen traffic control.
On the other hand, critics point out the risks of arming public servants who, although trained, are not traditionally associated with the use of lethal force.
Among the concerns raised is the possibility of misuse of weapons in routine approaches, which could result in tragedies or escalation of conflicts.
Furthermore, there are fears that the measure will increase the population's distrust towards traffic agents, transforming a cooperative relationship into something more hostile.
Entities linked to public security and civil organizations have already expressed positions both against and in favor of the project.
While some defend the initiative as a reinforcement of traffic safety, others call for caution, claiming that Brazil already faces significant challenges in gun control.
Comparisons with other countries
The proposal places Brazil in a prominent position when comparing its legislation with that of other countries.
In nations like the United States, traffic enforcement officers in some jurisdictions already have the right to carry weapons.
However, this occurs in contexts where there is strong integration between the transit sectors and the police forces.
In Brazil, this change could mean a step in the same direction, but there are still doubts about how it will be implemented in practice.
Training, supervision and control over the use of weapons by these agents will be crucial to prevent the measure from becoming a new point of tension in public safety.
A transformative or risky measure?
If the proposal is approved, Brazilian traffic agents will have their functions significantly expanded.
The profession, which until now was focused on monitoring traffic violations and education, will now involve elements typical of police activities.
The big question that remains is: will this change really bring more safety or will it open the way for new problems in Brazilian traffic?
After so much violence against traffic agents in Brazil, the right to carry weapons for these professionals is more than fair. Another professional who should also have the right to carry weapons, even when off duty, is the socio-educational agent, because there are many young people who are just as bad as adults.
Postal agents must also be armed, as their lives are at greater risk in the outskirts.
Give a case in which a postal worker was a victim of violence!
Not to mention the fact that both categories are part of public security, dealing with extreme situations all the time.
Those who work in the electricity and water supply company also have to carry a gun!!!
I think it's absurd
It is absurd for a worker to be murdered in uniform for carrying out his work within the law without being able to defend himself. Unlike a hunter who can have his without any need, this is absurd.
**** vetoed it and his supporters in congress sided with him